Mining and METS

The mining sector has played an integral part in keeping WA in a strong economic position throughout the pandemic. The continued operation of the resource industry, supported by the WA Government, ensured the construction of new mines and sustained export production.

The production of key commodities, including iron ore, alumina, gold and nickel, has led to an extraordinary increase in the value of the state’s mining sector in recent years. Since 2006, the value of the WA mining industry has increased from $32 billion to $148 billion.

The global economic recovery from the pandemic has led to significant increases in commodity prices and record sales values for WA’s mining sector. This has been supported by investments from the WA Government to sustain growth in mining and METS, including funding to support exploration activity, enhance the state’s research and development capability and develop new industries. The state’s mining industry provides substantial direct and indirect employment, and supports a number of new and existing downstream and service industries.

The METS sector in WA is estimated to account for about 30% of the national industry, adding an estimated $27 billion to the state’s economy in 2018. There are approximately 27,000 specialised METS sector companies in WA.